Keep You Close

On Keep You Close, dEUS achieves an impressive synthesis of pop songcraft and prog-rock experimentation. The Belgian combo has gone through an array of lineup changes and artistic shifts since the ‘90s, all while edging closer to the mainstream. But while dEUS has grown more comfortable with conventional song structures and linear lyrical content, its jazz-influenced orchestral ambitions have remained evident. The band's expansive sonic ambitions can be heard in the title track, a sweepingly dramatic number suggestive of classic film soundtracks. A pronounced romantic ache runs though these songs, conveyed by singer Tom Barman’s dusky croon on tunes like “Second Nature,” “Constant Now," and the partly spoken, partly sung “The End of Romance.” Former Afghan Whigs vocalist Greg Dulli adds an extra dash of erotic angst to “Dark Sets In” and “Twice (We Survive).” The album ends on a grand note with “Easy,” a six-minute track weaving together bashing drums, rumbling bass, and tingling keyboards into a jittery meditation worthy of vintage Pink Floyd.